Work to resolve these problems is ongoing, the firm said today, but the upside of this is unlikely to yield results in the first half, and the numbers are "likely" to be lower than the same period a year ago.

The group's annual contract value and order book for the end of June stood at £183.6m versus £191.9m a year earlier.

"These reductions were primarily in the Partner Services division due in part to disruptions to the business last year as a result of the poorly executed restructuring," said Phoenix.